For a moment he lay motionless, staringwith bright
eyes at the darkness beyond the door.
A cask of black sugar mixed its contents with
ointmentfor foot-rot, rum and a pool of blood. He had arrived at a point of
exhaustion where dream andreality became indissolubly mixed.
They made a cast and picked up the tracks farther
on. Then the sun brokethrough for a few hours with pent-up midsummer heat. The black
grinned again, displaying teeth as big nearly as pianokeys.
Yes, a long, long way from here, Cabell repeated
slowly. They cant be far ahead if they begin leaving those things,Cabell
decided.
They swallowed a billy of tea and started off.
Blind in theshade, he could see nothing for a moment.
Through eyes swollen by fatigue and the bites of
flies Cabellwatched a rebirth of Nature.
Every day it rained, without once letting up for
amonth.
He had arrived at a point of exhaustion where dream
andreality became indissolubly mixed. Cabell and Bill followed with pistol
buttsaloft, waiting for a chance to get a blow in. Then he roused himself and said
in a surprisedvoice, Used to?
Chapter EighteenRAINThe rainy season started in
earnest, and they had something else toworry about. But no sooner had he fixed that
than themoon came out and the blacks began a corroboree.
Then faintly they heard the pad of a horses hooves
approaching atthe gallop. Gone back to the Three Mile, Sambo announced.
They cant be far ahead if they begin leaving those
things,Cabell decided.
Let us get out, for Gods sake, Cabell said quickly.
Sambo went back to the hut, lit his pipe, and sat down.